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Today, at 12 noon, I officially graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in the field of Telecommunications with a minor in Theatre. Wow that sounds….official. I even got two degrees. One for my major and one for my minor. It was nice, though the road to graduation was stressful, especially that last few days.

My sister headed to her Senior Prom on Friday. She is the last of my children in my family to go to her senior prom. Though her exit was fast, the preparation for this day was a week long thing. We had to clean the house from top to bottom, get nails done, pick up the dress, buy snacks, and so on. She was a princess and certainly looked like one as she headed off to the prom with a very cute and very sweet boy. From what I hear, she had fun.

Right after that, ok more like an hour after that, my mom’s friend arrived with the car we were taking up to Penn State. She was late, of course, so I suppose this fueled the stress a little more. The long car ride and my 4 hour playlist was ok. It’s amazing the difference great music can make. I have a new song too: Lift Me Up by Kate Voegele. Pretty much anything by Kate Voegele is really good. We arrived late and my parents wanted to take me out drinking. I was so not in the mood. But I went, the bars were packed so I was stressing…and suggested we go to the diner. So we did.

Today the yelling started when I woke up. 4 ppl to a hotel room is crazy with showers and everything. Cause for a lot of fighting and stuff. But we made it through to Graduation. But with lack of sleep and food, by the car ride back we were back to bickering again. The break for dinner at a great restaurant in West Chester was fun.

Over all, I think today was really good. Everyone was stressed. It happens. I know I was stressed. I have been so worried about making my little sister’s prom the perfect one, that I really hadn’t taken time to reflect on my day. And now that it’s here and gone, it’s nice. I mean I have a lot of learning left to do, but I can now do it on my own time.

As for a job, that will come on it’s own time. The speaker today said that we should do things on our own time. Because we can appreciate all that life has to offer. I have been in touch with a few different places. Trying to send out a few resumes a day and see where it puts me. Disney is still an option as well. However, right now, I think it’s time for a vacation. I want to go on a trip. To a place. With a friend. That’s all. I dunno where, I dunno who, I just want to go.

Sometimes all it takes is a voice, one voice that becomes a hundred, then a thousand, unless it’s silenced. ~ Denton ~ Newsies

As I watched this movie this evening something dawned on me. Denton’s line (shown above) really hit me for some reason. I believe this reason stems from the discussion that was had today in my Musical Theater History class about the musical Hair.

In class we discussed the play and its relevance in the time it was produced and now, as the revival just hit broadway. While Hair was very radical when it was originally produced, our class struggled to find relevance in the show today. I hardly ever raise my hand in this class because the class provokes so many thoughts in my head, that I can’t grasp one before the subject is changed, but today I spoke up. I threw the idea out there that maybe why we have trouble finding relevance for the musical today is because of the desensitized culture we live in today.

Look at us. Now everything happens in real time. I have this blog and everyone, everywhere can read what I write here. I have Twitter and all of my followers can find out what I am doing or thinking at this precise moment. Facebook connects us with people we don’t even know and so does MySpace. The list goes on. We are very technological. Our news is censured. Sure we see shootings, burning buildings, car accidents, and so on, but that’s normal to us. We very rarely see the tragic photos taken in the hospitals of our war where people are being amputated because they stepped on a mine. We vary rarely see someone getting beaten to death because of their race, religion, gender, and so on. We don’t see the thousands of children who are being sent off to war across the world. We don’t see it. We hear about it, but we don’t see it.

Because we don’t experience it physically, it’s not important to us. That is…unless we make it important to us.

I know about sweatshops. However, I don’t really pay attention to what I buy and I am a saver so I don’t spend a lot. However, I do read the campus newspaper. So when a group of students since my freshman year of college, have been rallying to stop Penn State from purchasing their gear from companies that have sweatshops, I was only vaguely interested. They did everything: protests, sit ins, rallies, and so on. They ever paraded around wearing nothing but signs. Incredible. This issue about sweatshops mattered to one person who found another person that felt the same way who found another and another and another until they have enough people for a group. It spreads like a wildfire.

So this whole idea about “all it takes is a voice.” One voice. Rosa Parks. Martin Luther King. Fela Kuti. Ghandi. Susan B. Anthony. and others who stepped up to the plate and said: I feel this way about an issue. Do you? Great! Let’s do something about it. Can one small voice change the world? I think so.

I believe people are generally lazy. We don’t really want to do anything about a situation. I know this because I am going through it right now. I don’t know what to say, but I know I have a lot to say. As soon as I can find a good way to say it, I’m sure I’ll say it. A lot of times we don’t want to stand out in the crowd. We don’t want to be that person who thinks differently. Who says “You treated me poorly! or I don’t like how this is done!” I think we would surprise ourselves if we stepped up and others agreed with us. I bet you someone says to you “Wow. I’m really glad you said that. I have felt this way for a long time but never had the courage to say anything about it.”

So my challenge to all of you and to myself. Find something you are passionate about. Arts Programs in Schools, Mistreatment of Employees, Being Degraded, Rape, Abortion, Human Trafficing, or even the fact that you don’t have a coffee maker in the office. ANYTHING! And do something about it. Bring it up at the next staff meeting. Talk to your friends about it. Write about it in your blog. Twitter it. Do something and take action. Facebook groups don’t count unless you actually have meetings in person or via video chat.

The dancers were great! Shana, Lauren, Carrie, Jason, and all those who stood for 46 hours…CONGRATULATIONS! You are heroes in the eyes of every child and their families who walk through the doors of the Hershey Medical Center. I am amazed and you should be proud of yourselves!

To everyone involved: Overalls, Captains, Committees, Orgs, and Spectators all over the globe, THANK YOU for making THON a HUGE success!!!!

I am honored to be a part of such a great organization.

Truly, if Penn State Students Ruled the world, everything would be fine.

To the Kids and Families: We are honored to dance for you! You are part of our family and our love is your love! Thank you for sharing this weekend with us! You make this weekend more special than it already is!

So I was at THON from 4pm on Friday until 8am on saturday with a bit of a small train home to shower in between. I had been up for 27 hours by that point so I came home after my last camera shift and pass out cold. I just woke up around 2 15. It was BEAUTIFUL!!! As an ex dancer I knew I could stay awake all 46 hours. But then I would have to explain to my professors why I missed class and that’s not really good. So getting some sleep is great! The dancers at just about at the 21 hours mark right now and our dancers seem to be doing well.

I keep sending them texts to let them know how amazing they are since I haven’t been able to get on the floor….no one wants anything which is shocking because I would be milking this for all I can…and I did….I craved smoothies a LOT during THON. I’m going to head back soon for a little bit just to say hello and give them some friendly faces to look at and see. I have a dinner and my family will be here shortly too.

Then I’ll head back in the wee hours of the morning and stay until 4pm. Well more like closer to 5.

If you go on THON.org and read the blogs they are starting to get funny. People are saying how other ppl are annoying, they are tired, they don’t know what time it is but don’t worry they aren’t delirious yet. It’s great! Also, the webcast looks great! I’ve been watching it since I’ve been awake. Love it!

That’s all for now…I’ll try to post again but if I don’t look for the follow up with pics and the total!!!

LOVE IT!!! Was at THON from 4-12 and am going back in about 1 hr. I am on call for about 6 dancers if they need anything at all and I LOVE IT!!! Nothing like being an ex moraler, shunned THON member because you were away for a semester. No hard feelings THON!!!

I am loving the fact that I will sleep ALLLL DAYYYY tomorrow and go back to THON at night and staying until the end. I have one more shift on Camera for the Webcast so check it out at THON.org.

I have entered the Jonas Brothers Raffle and hope to win! Also, I have learned the line dance and visited many dancers on the Floor. This year looks super promising! I can’t wait til our Family and my actual family come tomorrow!!! YAY!!!

I plan on writing a lot this weekend and updating you on THON happenings. If you are interested in this AMAZING Dance Marathon Penn State Puts On every year you can check out the LIVE Webcast (which I am helping as a cameralady) at www.THON.org. There will also be DANCER BLOGS!!! I LOVE These because Dancers are CRAZY! I should know I was one in 2007!

So at 4pm The madness starts! Pre THON starts at 5:15 and then we STAND at 6pm!!! I AM PUMPED!!!

THON is a dance marathon where Penn State Students stand for 46 hrs to help raise money for Kids with Pediatric Cancer, The Hershey Medical Center, and the Four Diamonds Fund. We STAND without sleeping for 46 hrs to show those who are fighting, those who have won, those who have lost, their families and their friends that THEY ARE NOT ALONE! This weekend we strive to put smiles on kids faces no matter how bad our legs hurt. We laugh and sing and cry and celebrate life in all forms!! This weekend we FIGHT for a CURE!

THON begins in the fall and builds until February and THON weekend. We are here to love and to share and to witness.

One Day we will dance in celebration but for now, we dance for a CURE!